A period of relative stability has put the Iranian capital No1 on the list of world cities that have achieved biggest improvements in liveability over the past five years, as calculated by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The ‘most improved’ top 10 contains some unexpected names ...

9: Baku, Azerbaijan

For the liveability index, a total of 140 cities were assigned a rating over 30 qualitative and quantitative factors in five broad categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. Ninth on the list is Azerbaijan’s capital and commercial hub, Baku.
Latest ranking: 103;
Ranking five years ago: 108;
Five-year index movement: 1.6%. (Pictured: Men play chess in the old city)

1: Tehran, Iran

Number one on the ‘most improved’ list is Tehran, after a period of relative political stability.
Latest ranking: 126 of 140;
Ranking five years ago: 132;
Five-year index movement: 5.0%. (Pictured: Iranian men smoke a water pipe as others play cards while observing the ancient festival of Sizdeh Bedar)